Ford has been synonymous with the word "truck" since the late 1940s. Ford trucks are durable, well-priced, and have been consistently well ranked by both consumers and car critics for generations. So, you would think that a Ford truck, in almost pristine condition, that had been owned and driven by a President, would fetch a nice amount of money at auction. This is what George W. Bush thought, as well. He put his F-150 King Ranch 4×4 SuperCrew up for auction as part of a fundraiser for the Fisher House Foundation. The Fisher House Foundation works with members of the military and their families. George W. Bush's presidency was one of the more unpopular presidencies of the last couple decades. By the end of his eight years in office, both liberals and conservatives were done with him. Since stepping down from his role as President, he has largely disappeared out of the public eye, and only crops in public occasionally. Even with his relative unpopularity, the fact that he was auctioning off a good truck for a good cause, was expected to draw some good money. The former President Bush purchased the car in 2009, and had only driven it on his ranch, so it had very low mileage and next to no signs of use. A used 2009 F-150 truck in the same condition, but without the pedigree, would normally sell for around $30,000. It was assumed that George W. Bush's truck would fetch close to $600,000 because of its former owner. Instead, it was auctioned off for barely half of that, and this was after repeated pleading by celebrity auctioneer, Jay Leno.

George W. Bush Car

The F-150 King Ranch 4×4 SuperCrew is the twelfth generation of the F-150 to be produced. It launched in 2009, and was an upgrade to Ford's traditional full-size truck platform. The truck features four doors, instead of two; larger grilles and headlights than in previous models; and automatic transmission. The vehicle also features Ford's ADVANCETRAC Roll Stability Control System, which won numerous safety awards in 2009. Depending on the model purchased, the 2009 F-150 runs on a 5.4 L 3-valve Triton V8, a 4.6 L 3-valve V8, or a 4.6 L 2-valve V8 engine. There is no word on who actually bought the vehicle at the auction, but it is fairly safe to say that the purchase was made to support the Fisher House, and not because of the car's high-profile former owner.

George W. Bush Articles

Paula Wilson is a writer, director, production manager, and former professional dancer, originally from North America, who has worked as a performer or director in ten countries and sixteen states. When not writing for CNW, she serves as the Artistic Director of The International Partner Dance Intensive (www.tipdi.com). Follow her on Google+.